Automatic slat feeding and assembling mechanisms



F. CHALLONER ErAL 2,934,818

May 3, 1960 AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 23, 195-7 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 1960 CHALLONER ETAL 2,934,818

AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 23, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ,4 BY M A YTORIVKHS? M 3, 1960 F. CHALLONER ETAL 2,934,813

AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 23, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ay 3, 1960 F. CHALLONER E L 3 AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 23, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HTTORA/EI/S May 3 960 F. CHALLONER ET AL AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING xvkEJxJHANISMS Filed Sept. 23. 1957 5 Sheets heet 5 INV NTORS e AUTOMATIC SLAT FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING MECHANISMS Frank Challoner and Arthur M. Howarth, Oshkosh, Wis, assignors to Challoner Manufacturing Corporation, Oshkosh, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 23,1957, Serial No. 685,522

3 Claims. (Cl. 22-411) This invention relates to improvements in automatic slat feeding and assembling mechanisms, and more particularly to a hopper and associated feed mechanism for controlling the successive feed of individual slats to a powered sash and door clamp.

There are available powered sash and door clamps.

which receive the elements of louver doors, sash and door blinds, shutters and the like, and clamp them into proper assembled relationship. Specifically, in connection with a louver door the longitudinal stiles and transverse rails are properly positioned within the jaws of the power clamp. Then it is necessary to successively position a predetermined number of slats so that their ends will register with the stiles. Thereafter the clamp moves the lognitudinal stiles toward one another to clamp together all of the components of the door, blind, shutter or the like, and the procedure is repeated for successive assemblies.

The above described conventional procedure in connection with the mounting of slats in a powered sash and door clamp is time-consuming to accomplish the proper positioning of the slats within the sash and door clamp relative to the stiles and rails therein. With the above in mind it is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide, in connection with a sash and door clamp, an automatically controlled slat feeding hopper from which individual slats are successively fed, in properly spaced relation, to advancing rack bars which receive and engage the successive slats at a proper inclination and convey the same into proper position within the powered clamp relative to the stiles and rails therein.

A further, more specific object of the invention is to provide a slat hopper and associated feeding mechanism arranged so that the hopper will successively deposit onto longitudinally moving rack bars a predetermined number of properly spaced slats for delivery into a sash and door clamp and, following the delivery of the slats into the door clamp and the operation of the door clamp, the rack bars will return to a load receiving position under the hopper for a new charge of slats.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hopper controlled slat feeding and assembly mechanism wherein an automatic shutoff for the discharge end of the hopper is provided which will retain the slats within the hopper except when the advancing rack bars are ready to accommodate the slats.

A further, more specific object of the invention is to provide, in a mechanism of the character described, a hopper shutoff control which is adjustable and which is operated by the selected positions of control members on the rack bars to correspond with the position of transverse rails in the clamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hopper controlled slat feeding and assembling mechanism for powered sash and door clamps which is adjustable to accommodate slats of various lengths.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hop- Patented May 3, 1960 per controlled slat feeding and assembly mechanism for powered sash and door clamps which is automatic and rapid in its operation, which is of unitary construction, which is readily adjustable, which is strong and durable, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved automatic slat feeding andassembly mechanism and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a side view of the improved hopper controlled slat feeding and assembly mechanism associated with a powered sash and door clamp;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the showing of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a portion of the frame and one side of the hopper;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a top view of one of the hopper sections;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing the hopper shut-off mechanism in its open position; and

Fig. 10 is a similar view only showing the hopper shutoff mechanism in its closed position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will appear, particularly from Figs. .1 and 2, that the improved hopper controlled slat feeding and assembly mechanism is operatively associated with a powered sash and door clamp indicated generally by the numeral 15. This sash and door clamp includes a pair of laterally spaced-apart longitudinal jaw elements 16 which in operation are brought toward and away from one another by means of power driven screws 17. The inner faces of the complementary jaws 16 are provided with adjustable stile gauges 18 and air operated clamping bars 19. For the assembly of the elements of a louver door, sash, blind or shutter, the longitudinal elements or stiles for such structures are positioned on the opposed clamps 16 against the members 18 and 19 as indicated at 20 in Fig. 2. Similarly, there is positioned transversely on the clamping jaws 16 an end rail 21 as in Fig. 2. While a door blind, shutter, or the like may in its finished form includea plurality of rails, in the operation of the improved automatic slat feeding and assembly mechanism only one rail is-initially positioned between the stiles. Conventionally the inner faces of the stiles, between rails, are provided with angled recesses to receive the ends of slats which are adapted to be clamped between the stiles by the powered sash and door clamp, with such slats being engaged with the stiles in inclined spaced relation.

The above description in connection with the powered sash and door clamp 15 is necessary in order to understand the operative association of the automatic slat feeding and assembly mechanism which is the feature of the present invention.

From Figs. 1 and 2 it will be observed that the powered sash and door clamps 15 have transversely adjustably mounted thereon adjacent the inner faces of the jaws 16 longitudinally extending, channelled tracks 22 which project substantially beyond the inner end of the powered sash and door clamp and have associated therewith addi- 3 tional mechanism which will be described hereinafter. In order that the distance between the tracks 22 may be readily adjusted, the same are threadably engaged by a plurality of spaced transverse screws 23 which have both rightand left-hand threaded portions and which carry sprocket wheels 24 engaged by endless chains 25 which also engage sprockets 26 mounted fast on spaced-apart portions of a lower frame carried shaft 27. It will be observed from Fig. 2 that an intermediate adjusting screw 23 is extended laterally and one end thereof carries a hand wheel 28. Thus, by manually turning the hand Wheel 23 to turn the intermediate screw 23, through the chain and sprocket connections with the lower shaft 27, simultaneous similarv turning adjustments of the other screws 23 will be effected to draw the tracks 22 toward one another or to further separate the same, depending upon the length of the slats being fed into the powered sash and door clamp, as will hereinafter appear.

As is conventional in powered sash and door clamps, an electric motor 29 through a roller chain drive 30 (see Fig. l) operates a longitudinal shaft 31 whose end portions extend into worm gear reduction drives 32 for the powered operation of the jaw screws 17 to move the clamp jaws into and out of clamping relation.

From Figs. 3 and it will be observed that the transversely adjustable tracks 22 comprise short and long side elements 22a and 22b and have bolted within their base portions a sectional bar 33 which is also bolted to transverse track supports 34 which slide on angle brackets 35. Retaining plates 36 (see Fig. 6) have secured thereto travelling nuts 37 which engage the threads on the adjusting screws 23.

Adapted for longitudinal movement within the tracks 22 are rack bars 38 which are of limited length and which have inclined shouldered recesses therein for engaging opposite end portions of slats 39 to be ultimately progressed into the powered sash and door clamp for engagement with the transversely separated stiles therein. The rack bars 38 are, in practice, removable and interchangeable, depending upon the desired spacing arrangement and disposition of the slats relative to the finished door or sash. The replaceable rack bars 38 are, as is best shown in Fig. 3, removably bolted to rack bar carriers 49 which are permanently carried by pinion racks 41 whose undersurface teeth are engaged by pinions 42. The pinions 42 (one for each pinion rack 41) are keyed onto a shaft 43 which carries a pulley 44 thereon engaged by an endless belt 45 which also extends to a pulley 46 which is on a shaft operatively driven by an electric motor 47. Hence, when the shaft 43 is driven in one direction the pinions 42 thereon will engage the pinion racks 41 to move them longitudinally in one direction, and when the shaft 43 is driven in a reverse direction the reverse operation of the pinions 42 will move the rack bars, through their carriers 40, in a reverse or return direction.

In order to selectively feed a predetermined number of slats 39 to the grooves of the rack bars38 in succession or in a prescribed arrangement, a laterally adjustable upright hopper, designated generally by the numeral 48, is provided. This upright hopper includes a pair of relatively similar but oppositely facing upright members adjacent intermediate portions of the track bars 33 at the right-hand end of the powered sash and door clamp relative to Figs. 1 and 2. At said end of the frame of the powered sash and door clamp there is a transverse elevated frame bar 49 of angle iron formation (see Figs. 3 and 6) which adjustably carries thereon, for each of the standards of the hopper, a hopper arm supporting block 50. Each upright of the assemblage of the hopper includes a vertical fixed plate 51 rigidly secured at its lower end to the supporting blocks 50 and a spaced upright adjustable plate 52; The adjustable plates 52 are shiftable fore and aft relative to the fixed hopper plates 51 to adapt the channels of both hopper upright assemblages to slats of various widths. The transverse walls of the channels of the hopper assemblages are formed by vertically extending plates 53 to which the plates 52 are adjustably mounted by bolts 54 securable within slots 55. The base portions of the plates 53 have right angular flanges overlying the hopper arm supporting blocks 50 and adjustable thereon by means of slots 56 in the latter engaged by bolts 57.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the upright assemblages of the hopper are basically carried at their lower ends by the hopper arm supporting blocks 50 which can slide longitudinally on the frame bar 49 and the same are rigidly carried by the track bars 33 so that major transverse adjustments of the two upright assemblages of the hopper toward and away from each other are accomplished when the track bars 33 are transversely adjusted as previously described. More minute or minor adjustments are accomplished by adjustments of the plates 53 on the blocks 50 by virtue of the bolts 57 and slots 56. It is also to be noted that the width of each hopper, or the distance between the plates 51 and 52, to accommodate slats of varying widths, can be regulated and the transverse adjustments of the hopper uprights through the means described is effected for the purpose of accommodating slats of different lengths. It will also be observed that one of the hopper assemblage plates 53, as the one toward the right in Fig. 6, is flared outwardly at its upper end as at 53 and this is for the purpose of facilitating the entry of the ends of stacks of slats into the hopper and to guide the same into properly confined condition.

It will be observed from Fig. 6 that the lower front portion of each hopper upright assemblage adjustably carries a stack retaining block 58 which can be vertically spaced from the effective lower end of each hopper upright so as to only allow the passage therethrough of the lowermost inclined slat in the stack. Cooperating therewith there is in each hopper upright opposed to each retainer block 58, an adjustable bottom rest 59 which engages the lower inclined edge of the lowermost slat and holds it in position to be dropped into the opposed recesses of the advancing rack bars.

In the operation of the hopper controlled slat feeding and assembly mechanism a predetermined number of slats of the proper length and width for the selected door, shutter or sash assemblage are stacked in the hopper in the manner shown and unless controlled by a hopper shutoff gate mechanism hereinafter to be described, the lowermost slat in the hopper can gravitate into the pair of opposed pockets in the rack bars 38. It is essential, however, that the discharge of slats from the hopper be controlled, and the hopper shutoff gate assemblage will now be described.

With reference to Figs. 6 and 9, it will be observed that the outer face 22a of each of the tracks 22 has bolted thereto depending arms 60 of a carrier block 61, the mountings of the blocks being such that they are inclined downwardly rearwardly relative to the planes of the tracks 22. The upper face of each carrier block 61 has a T-shaped longitudinal slot therein to receive the T- shaped bottom portion of a gate carrier 62. Partially enveloping the gate carrier 62 and extending thereabove is a gate 63 which is vertically adjustable on its carrier 62 by virtue of bolts 64 and slots 65. Fig. 9 shows the relationship of the parts when the hopper shutoff gates are in open position whereby, as the pocketed rack bars 38 advance, the lowermost slat 39 is deposited transversely of the rack bars in a pair of registering pockets. After the hopper has successively delivered to the pocketed rack bars its full complement .of slats for the particular assemblage in the powered clamp, it is necessary to close off the bottom of the hopper. It is also desirable to temporarily close off the bottom of the hopper during such period of advancement of the rack bars, as would require an elimination of slats in the finished assemblage because of a transverse rail or rails. The automatic closing of the lower end of the hopper is controlled by a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart depending cams 66 and 67 (see Fig. 6) of which the forward or more advanced cam 66 is the gate closing cam and the rearward cam 67 is the gate opening cam. These pairs of cams 66 and 67 are aifixed to the longitudinally travelling rack bar carriers 40. They are longitudinally adjustably mounted thereon and in actual practice there would first be, considering the direction of travel of the rack bars, a hopper gate opening cam 67, followed at a spaced rearward interval by a hopper gate closing cam 66. The

latter is adjustably positioned to correspond with the position of a transverse rail in the door or sash assemblage because at that point no slats would be required. Thereafter, there would be another properly positioned hopper gate opening cam 67 followed by a gate closing cam 66. The latter is positioned to correspond with the amount of travel of the rack bar sufiicient to reach the outer or far end of the assemblage in the clamp (the outermost rail).

Considering the positions of the earns 66 and 67, it will be apparent that during the advance travel of the rack bars 38 toward the left relative to Fig. 6, either the hopper gate closing cam 66 or the hopper gate opening cam 67 will be first advanced along the inner faces of the blocks 61 and adjacent the inner faces of the gate carriers 62 so as to manipulate elements which operate the gates 63. From Fig. 9 it will be observed that the gate 63 is retracted relative to the lower discharge ends of the uprights of the hopper 48. However, the advance or forward movement of the closing cam 66 will cause the leading edges of said cam 66 to ultimately engage surface portions of dogs 68 which are carried by the gate carrier 62 and to thereby propel forwardly the gate carriers and the attached gate 63 until the gate 63 underlies the lower discharge ends of the hopper uprights 48, thereby closing the same against further discharge of the slats. This advance movement of the gate carrier 62 and parts mounted thereon is against the tension of an attached coiled spring 69. At the same time the forward movement of the carrier 62 and gate 63 mounted thereon pushes out of the lower end of the hopper 48 the lowermost slat 49 to deposit it in the inclined registering pockets of the rack bars 38. Ultimately the condition shown in Fig. 10 is attained, which is the complete shutolf of the lower end of the hopper, and because of the rearward inclination of the blocks 61, gate carrier 62 and gate 63 relative to the tracks 22, the advancing cam 66 then moves clear of the lower surface of the dogs 68.

It will be observed from Figs. 9 and 10 that there are pivotally mounted on the block 61 shouldered latch dogs 70 and while the bottom of the gate carrier 62 is over the shoulder 70a of the latch dog the latch dog is retained in a depressed, released condition. However, when the gate carrier 62 advances beyond the shouldered portion 70a of the latch dog an attached and anchored coil spring 71 pulls the latch dog in a counter-clockwise direction relative to Figs. 9 and 10 to engage the shouldered portion 70a against a lower rear corner portion of the gate carrier 62 as shown in Fig. 10, serving to thereby retain the gate carrier and gate in hopper closing position.

When the advance movement of the rack bars brings toward the gate assemblage the hopper gate opening cam 67, the lower forward corner of the same will first engage and ride on an inclined edge of a pivotal finger 72 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 73 carried by the latch dog 70, but as the finger is in abutment with a pin 74 on the latch dog the latch dog will be thereby swung in a clockwise direction relative to Fig. 10 to withdraw its shouldered portion 76a from engaging contact with the lower rear portion of the gate carrier 62. Because of the release of the gate carriers 62 the spring 69 will retract the same to the position of Fig. 9 carrying with the same the gate 63 which thereby opens the lower ends of the hopper uprights.

From the foregoing description of the hopper controlled automatic slat feeding and assembly mechanism in connection with a powered sash and door clamp, it will be understood that as required for the assembled elements of a sash, door, louver or the like in the clamp, the forwardly progressing rack bars will have deposited thereinto in succession, transversely positioned slats disposed at a proper inclination, and the slats will be omitted where there are transverse rails to be considered in the assemblage in the clamp. When the rack bars reach the forward end of travel in which position all of the desired slats 39 have been aligned with the openings therefor in the stiles 20 in the clamp, the forward ends of the rack bars will contact a limit switch 74 (see Fig. 2),

which limit switch is in electrical connection with the 'rack operating motor 47. Through the operation of the 63 because of operation thereof by properly positioned gate closing cams 66. When the rack bars have been sufiiciently retracted, portions of the same will operate another limit switch 75 (see Fig. 2) which then again shuts ofi the motor 47 and terminates operation of the rack bars until such time as another cycle of operation is desired in connection with a new assemblage of stiles, rails or door or sash components mounted in the powered clamp.

It should also be observed that at the end of the advance stroke of the rack bars, at which time all of the slats have been properly positioned relative to the longitudinal stiles, the powered clamp is operated to bring the longitudinal stiles into engagement with the ends of the introduced slats to effect the completed door, sash or shutter assemblage which is then removed from the powered clamp and the latter is again fitted with the components for a new assemblage which is to receive a new set of slats.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In an automatic slat feeding and assembling mechanism including a frame carrying a pair of relatively moveable laterally spaced-apart clamping jaws to operatively receive certain sash and door elements, longitudinally extending slat carrying bars mounted adjacent the clamping jaws, and longitudinal tracks on the frame and in which said slat carrying bars are slidable whereby slats carried by said bars may be assembled with the first-mentioned sash and door elements upon operation of the clamping jaws and advance movement of the bars; the improvement comprising a slat hopper having a pair of uprights mounted on said tracks adjacent an end portion of the clamping jaws in spanning relation to the slat carrying bars, a gate rockingly mounted on said tracks adjacent the lower end of the hopper and movable into and out of closing relation thereto to control the discharge of slats from the hopper transversely of and onto advancing extents of the slat carrying bars, said gate having cam surfaces thereon, means for driving the slat carrying bars longitudinally in both directions in said tracks, and cams adjustably mounted on said bars in spaced relation for engaging the gate cam surfaces to operate said gate when the bars are moved, longitudinally.

2. In an automatic slat feeding and assembling mechanism having a frame whereon is mounted a pair of relatively movable laterally spaced-apart clamping jaws to operatively receive certain sash and door elements for assembly with slats, laterally adjustable tracks carried by the clamping jaws, and longitudinally extending slat carryingbars longitudinally movably mounted in said tracks adjacent the clamping jaws and formed with inclined recesses whereby slats carried transversely by said bars within said recesses may be assembled with the firstmentioned sash and door elements upon operation of the clamping jaws following advance movement of said bars; the improvement comprising a slat hopper having a pair of uprights mounted on said tracks adjacent an end portion of the clamping jaws in spanning relation to the slat carrying bars, the hopper uprights being laterally adjustable with said tracks, a gate movably mounted on said tracks adjacent the lower end of the hopper and movable into and out of closing relation thereto to control the discharge of slats from the hopper transversely of and onto advancing extents of the slat carrying bars, said gate having cam surfaces thereon, and means operated by movement of said tracks for controlling the gate, by engagement with the gates cam surfaces.

3.In an automatic slat feeding and assembling mechanism having a frame whereon is mounted a pair of relatively movable laterally spaced-apart clamping jaws to operatively receive certain sash and door elements for assembly with slats, tracks carried by the clamping jaws, and longitudinally extending slat carrying bars longitudinally movably mounted in said tracks and formed with slat receiving seats whereby slats carried transversely by said bars may be assembled with the first-mentioned sash and door elements upon operation of the clamping jaws following advance movement of said bars; the improvement comprising an upright slat hopper supported by the frame adjacent an end portion of the clamping jaws in spanning relation to the slat carrying bars, a gate movably supported by the frame structure adjacent the lower end of the hopper and movable into and out of closing relation thereto to control the discharge of slats from the hopper transversely of and onto advancing extents of the slat carrying bars, said gate having cam surfaces thereon, and protuberances carried by said movable bars for engaging the gate cam surfaces to operate said gate upon longitudinal movement of said bars.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,839 Coughlin Oct. 29, 1935 2,075,795 Babcock Apr. 6, 1937 2,144,821 Twomley Jan. 24, 1939 2,603,688 Cole July 15, 1952 2,613,861 Goerlitz Oct. 14, 1952 2,635,809 Camp Apr. 21, 1953 

